News Flash
Council of Europe anti-torture Committee publishes report on
Croatia
Strasbourg, 09.10.2008 – The Council of Europe's Committee for the prevention
of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (CPT) has published
today the report on its 3rd periodic visit to
Croatia, in 2007, together with the authorities’
response. These documents have been made public at the request of the
Croatian Government.
The report reviews the situation of persons detained by the police, including
immigration detainees. The information gathered during the visit indicated that
ill-treatment by the police remained a problem in Croatia. The CPT made a series
of recommendations to address this problem, including that a clear message of
“zero tolerance” of ill-treatment be delivered, from the highest level and
through ongoing training activities, to all police officers. The CPT also noted
with concern that little progress had been made as regards notification of
custody, access to a lawyer, and access to a doctor; it called upon the Croatian
authorities to take effective steps to ensure compliance with these fundamental
safeguards against the ill-treatment of people detained by the police.
The CPT welcomed the efforts made to improve material conditions in police
establishments in Zagreb, in sharp contrast with the situation observed in
police cells outside the capital. It recommended the Croatian authorities to
redouble their efforts to improve conditions of detention in police cells
throughout the country.
As regards prisons, the delegation received no allegations of ill-treatment of
inmates by staff at Požega Re-education Institution. However, some allegations
of physical ill-treatment and verbal abuse were received at Lepoglava, Osijek
and Rijeka Prisons. Further, the delegation had misgivings about the manner in
which investigations of prisoners' complaints were carried out, after gathering
allegations of psychological pressure by prison officers against prisoners who
had complained. The CPT recommended the authorities to deliver to prison staff
the firm message that both physical ill-treatment and verbal abuse of prisoners,
as well as any kind of threats or intimidating action against a prisoner who has
made a complaint, will not be tolerated and will be subject to severe sanctions.
Prison overcrowding had worsened since the 2003 visit, with an increase of the
prison population by some 40%. The CPT recommended the Croatian authorities to
redouble their efforts to combat prison overcrowding, in particular by adopting
policies designed to limit or modulate the number of people sent to prison. The
CPT's delegation noted the efforts to offer activities to sentenced prisoners in
the establishments visited, including prisoners serving very long sentences. By
contrast, the regime of remand prisoners at Osijek and Rijeka Prisons remained
very poor, most inmates on remand being confined to their cells for some 22
hours a day.
No allegations of ill-treatment were received at Vrapče Psychiatric Hospital and
the Pula Social Care Home for Adults with Psychiatric Disorders. At both
establishments, the CPT was impressed by the caring attitude displayed by staff
towards patients and residents. However, at Vrapče Psychiatric Hospital, little
or no action had been taken to implement the recommendations made after the
Committee’s 2003 visit; there is in particular an urgent need to proceed with
the construction of the new forensic psychiatric unit.
As regards treatment at Pula Social Care Home, the situation was globally
satisfactory. That said, the CPT recommended that programmes of rehabilitative
activities as well as resocialisation programmes be developed, which will
require more qualified staff.
In their response, the Croatian authorities provide information on the measures
being taken to address the issues raised in the CPT’s report.
The CPT's visit report and the
response of the Croatian authorities are
available on the Committee's website
http://www.cpt.coe.int
- A "CPT Video-kit" is available for the audiovisual press. For more details
please access our page "For the press".
